The Rolling Stones were wrong: time is definitely not on my side. No matter what I do or how much I try and plan ahead, I am always fighting the clock and running late. And I hate being late. It gives me an ulcer. You just wouldn’t know it, because I’m always late. Take this morning for example. I pre-pack all my daughter’s necessities into her backback (diapers/milk/bunny), pack my purse and lunch, strap her on (looking like a marine heading out on a 30 mile hike) and set off for the nanny’s house. Even though I have done everything in my power to try and make that 9:10 train at Dekalb station, I miss it, and stroll into the office with my head hung low, hoping no one notices. Now while this blog post can serve as an overall apology to my co-workers for my incessant tardiness (ala Travis Birkenstock in Clueless), it can also serve as a conversation starter about all of our favorite movies where a hero/heroine is racing the clock. I’ll start:

Labyrinth – This cult classic falls into one of two categories for movie watchers; those who absolutely love it and those who have never heard of it. For those who love it (and I’m going to make an assumption that those who love it also love the movies Legend and Dark Crystal ), it is a fun, fantasy, fairy tale where mythical creatures help a young girl rescue her baby brother from the Goblin King before time runs out. The Goblin King, who threatens the heroine with a menacing looking hour glass throughout the film, happens to be played by David Bowie. Score! I saw this movie as a pre-teen, on my first overnight trip to a friend’s country house – which in and of itself was awesome and mystical. The lights were dark, the wind was howling and it was just the perfect time (ha) to watch it.

Rat Race – Not exactly what you would call an Oscar contender, Rat Race is the story of a bunch of lowly casino gamblers who set out on a race to collect a fortune before time runs out in a game set up by a wealthy casino owner. There are no rules to the game so, predictably, everything that could possibly happen, does. The movie’s charm comes from its hysterical cast. Hilarity ensues when Cuba Gooding Jr., Seth Green, Whoopi Goldberg, Jon Lovitz, Kathy Najimy and Breckin Meyer (whoa, suddenly it’s become Breckin Meyer day) all try and one-up each other in a race to the cash. And the star of the show is Rowan Atkinson who dons a silly accent (per usual) and a random eastern European nationality to make the audience laugh.

Back to the Future – This movie has made an appearance on many a blog list of mine, but I’m not ashamed – I love this movie. As we probably all know by now, the hero races the clock to try and get back safe and sound to good old 1985. To accomplish this, he has to drive his DeLorean time machine under a metal wire at exactly 88 miles an hour at the exact time the wire is struck by lightening. I think it is safe to say that I would never had made it. But it is one of those heart pounding movies where you sit at the edge of your seat every time you watch it, willing Marty to make it home. And I think I would have been pretty remiss not to have included this movie in a blog about racing the clock since the whole movie is about a time machine! But I digress…

Inception – I saw this movie in the theater and I’ve since seen it at home on TV, but I still can’t really tell you what this movie is about. I know there is something about dreaming and waking up and Paris folding in on itself, and I know that time plays a role. And Leonardo DiCaprio has to implant something into someone’s head before he falls into a bathtub of water… or something like that. But it is an enjoyable movie, and again, one that keeps you on the edge of your seat, you just don’t really know why.